As seen on TV

For other uses, see As seen on TV (disambiguation).

"As seen on TV" is a generic phrase for products advertised on television in the United States for direct-response mail-order through a toll-free telephone number. As Seen on TV advertisements, known as infomercials, are usually 30-minute shows or two-minute spots during commercial breaks. These products can range from kitchen, household, automotive, cleaning, health, beauty, and pet care products, to exercise and fitness products, books, or to toys and games for children. Typically the packaging for these items includes a red seal in the shape of a CRT television screen with the words "AS SEEN ON TV" in white.

A typical logo

Prominent marketers of As seen on TV products include As Seen on TV, Inc., Time-Life, Space Bag, K-tel, Ronco, and Thane. There are also retail brick-and-mortar and online stores that specifically sell As seen on TV products.^[1]

In 1996, "As seen on TV" then moved on to retail, according to A. J. Khubani, CEO of Telebrands, who designed the logo.^[2]

As seen on TV products then moved on to sell on the internet. In 2015, a new As seen on TV corporation was formed and launched as a multi-vendor marketplace, allowing manufacturers and sellers of TV products to sell their inventory through its website New Easy.

The red logo and phrase is in the public domain and can be used on packaging or in business with no fee and without trademark infringement.^[3]

Companies that produce generic versions of As seen on TV products may use a modified version of the red logo, their version displaying "Like on TV" or "As seen on TV in some countries". This logo can be registered in some countries like a trademark. ^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Brand-new
• Infomercial

References

1. Lou Harry, Sam Stall (2002). As Seen on TV: 50 Amazing Products and the Commercials That Made Them Famous. Quirk Books. ISBN 1-931686-09-2. as seen on tv.
2. "Pitch Perfect". On The Media. January 1, 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-01-09. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
3. "Ad Track: Marketers bet on lucky 777; that's July 7, 2007". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2007-05-31. Retrieved 27 August 2023. Q: Does someone own the famous ad phrase "As Seen On TV" or the familiar logo that has that phrase in a TV-shaped red box?